Trump Cabinet Weighing Secrecy Claim in Venezuela Case, DOJ Says

A top Justice Department official said he’s involved in “Cabinet-level discussions” to invoke a secrecy claim to shield information about the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members, after a judge blasted the Trump administration over lax court disclosures.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told the judge in a filing Friday that talks are ongoing over using the so-called state secrets privilege to avoid privately answering the judge’s questions. US District Judge James Boasberg on Thursday said an earlier court filing on the matter was “woefully insufficient,” further escalating a high-profile standoff between the White House and the courts.

Boasberg demanded ...